Chapter 28
River
When I say the guys wasted no time handling the problem for me, I mean it. It's Friday evening, and Torin just messaged to tell me it was all done. He even took a picture for me of the cops at the scene of the accident and both of the men on stretchers being loaded up in an ambulance.
Torin: Let’s just say they’ll be living the rest of their lives in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the neck down.
Me: Thank you.
Callux: Are you hungry? I’m thinking tacos. Nevermind. I know you are. Tacos it is.
Me: LOL
Callux: We can give you the play by play then.
Torin: Ignore him. Give us like an hour and we’ll be home.
Me: See you then.
I let out a sigh of relief. Now there’s no chance of Roman getting hurt.
The thought of that makes me happy. Both Nash and Holden mentioned being worried about the upcoming fight and about the mysterious person who gave them the tip about Hancock cheating.
Neither of them acted as if they had any clue it was me. Thank God.
Picking up my other phone, I open the text thread with Roman.
Me: I have a surprise for you.
I gaze at my computer screen, turning the volume back up to watch his response when he checks the message.
The guys all left to handle the problem, calling in another one of the guards to keep an eye on them.
Since they haven’t done anything to make the guys feel like they can’t trust them, they felt safe leaving.
He stops working and pulls out his phone, glancing at it with a stern look on his face as he presses his lips together.
“What is it?” Holden asks him, as both he and Nash stop what they’re doing.
“The unknown person just messaged. Said he has a surprise for me.”
“Well, what is it?” Nash asks, picking up his bottle of water and taking a large swallow.
“Don’t know; he still hasn’t said. That’s all he messaged.” I can’t help but laugh that they still are so positive I’m a man. I decide to put him out of his misery and send him the good news.
Me: Your little problem with Solomon and Hancock has been handled. You’re not going to have to worry about either of them again. Let’s just say someone is going to be caring for them for the rest of their pathetic lives.
Me: Here’s some pictures and also the proof you need to know of his plans to cheat.
I attach all the information I have along with the photos that Torin sent me. I don’t normally send the photos I get when working with clients, but I really wanted to show Roman what I did for him. It was as if I wanted his approval.
I watch as Nash and Holden move to Roman’s side as they all look at what I sent. My smile doesn’t leave my face, especially when I see the approval on their faces. They’re not upset or mad. They’re in awe of what I’ve done.
“Holy hell. That’s fucking amazing,” Nash exclaims.
Roman: Wasn’t expecting you to handle this. But thank you. I owe you.
Me: Call it a gift. There’s no need to repay.
I spend the rest of the time that they're working watching every move they make. They keep talking about Mr. Unknown. Roman is still questioning why someone would help him with the problem.
My eyes drift over to the window, and I stand up slowly. One little peek out of it won’t hurt anything. I tiptoe over to it as if they could hear me walking outside. When I get there, I carefully pull back the curtain, just enough to see.
Nash has looked up at the window every single time he’s been here, but he hasn’t seen me again.
I’ve never dared to go near it while they’ve been here.
I stand there, with as little of my face visible as possible, and I watch them clean up the yard.
They’re nearly done, and that makes my heart ache.
Once they’ve completed everything, I won’t be able to see them.
Hell, when this assignment is over, I’m sure Holden and Nash will disappear from my messenger as well.
Then it happens. Nash glances up, and I jump back, dropping the curtain as my heart races. Did he see me? I rush over to my laptop, needing to know.
“Would you stop staring at the damn window and finish cleaning up so we can go,” Roman barks at him.
“I saw her again. What can it hurt to just go knock on her door?” Nash asks him, and I shake my head as if he could see me. That would not be a good idea.
“Do it and die. You heard what they said; it's probably their omega. Have you thought about that, hotshot? I don’t think obsessing over their omega is going to work in your favor.” Roman’s wrong. I’m not their omega. I’m not anyone’s.
I turn off the computer and decide to take a cold shower. Anything to take me away from my own obsession. I need to get over it. They’re not in the cards for me.
“Shower and then work on the assignment,” I tell myself.
“You need to let Holden know you’re not going to be able to be contacted for about a week.
” Not to mention, I need to pray that he never questions that the timeframe is the same as a typical heat.
Maybe I could fudge how long I’ll be unavailable.
***
To River: Today has been fucking insane.
Yes it has. I imagine he’s talking about my little message to Roman, but I need to play it off.
To Holden: What happened? Mine has been kind of crazy too.
To River: Remember I told you that my brother had that rematch tomorrow and someone messaged telling us he was planning to do something shady to win?. Well, turns out he got in an accident today. A pretty bad one. It doesn’t look like fighting is going to be anywhere in the future for him.
Nope it won’t, but that was the point. Death would’ve been too nice. He needs to live with the misery of his actions. And now he can.
To Holden: Well now you don’t have to worry about the fight.
To River: Nope, especially since there’s not going to be one. How about your day? What was crazy about it?
To Holden: Well it kind of involves you too.
I’ve barely hit send before I type out another message with my cleverly made up lie, before he’s responding.
To River: Now I’m curious.
To Holden: I got a call today, and there’s been an emergency in my family.
I’m going to have to go out of town to help, so I won’t be available for a little over a week.
I’ve messaged my instructors already. I don’t want you to think I’m slacking on our project so I’ve been working really hard on getting some of it done.
I’ll share it in the portal so you can see it.
I just hope he doesn’t ask too much about what my emergency is.
To River: Don’t worry about the assignment. Your family is more important. Besides, we have plenty of time to get it done. I hope everything ends up okay.
To Holden: Thank you. So do I.
I need to let Nash know too. I’m still not sure if he’s told Holden that he’s been messaging me and we’ve been talking or not. Does he even need to tell him? It’s not like we’re dating. Hell, we’re never even going to meet.
To Nash: Hey, I was just talking with Holden and I figured I should let you know too. I have a family emergency, and I’m going to be gone for about a week, maybe a little longer. It just depends on how things go. But I didn’t want you to message and not get an answer and think something bad.
It’s still so surreal for me to think that I’m messaging with two guys at the same time.
Two very hot guys. But it’s not like they’re attracted to me or anything.
How can they be when they don’t even know who I am?
Sure Nash looks up at my window when he’s here.
But I’ve heard him say that he thinks something is wrong with me.
He’s just concerned, it’s not attraction.
My computer continues to ding letting me know messages are coming in.
Since Nash’s thread is up, I look at his first, going straight to the last message.
To River: Are you there? I know what you need. A joke. What do you call a fake noodle?
To Nash: Sorry I’m here. Just got distracted with schoolwork and I’m talking to Holden too. By the way, does he know you’re messaging me? And for the joke. No clue.
To River: No, he doesn’t. I’m planning to tell him, though. Is that OK?
Is it? I don’t think he’d stop talking to me if it weren't. We don't have an assignment to do. I know some guy at their school has been bugging Holden like crazy to switch partners. Would he try to convince the professor to do it when Holden tells him? My fingers begin to twitch. The same familiar feeling I used to get before picking up a blade. I hate that no matter how much therapy I’ve had, the need to cut still hovers in the background.
To Nash: Yes.
Better to find out the answer now.
To River: Okay, I’ll do it later tonight or tomorrow. And the answer to the joke is Impasta. I can’t believe you didn’t get it. Hilarious, right?
To Nash: Only you would find that joke funny.
To River: Ahh, my heart. LOL.
I continue to bounce between chats with Nash and Holden for the next couple of hours before I tell them I need to go. I still need to finish getting my belongings together before we leave on Monday. By the end, I’m exhausted. As much as I want to keep talking to them, I need to get some sleep.
Turning off my laptop, I stand up and stretch my arms over my head. The only thing I can think about right now is my bed.
I push the chair back up to the desk and pick up my phone. I move through the living and kitchen area turning off the lights and making sure the door is locked. As I’m walking to my bedroom, my phone vibrates in my hand. When I look at it I see another message.
Unknown: You can’t hide forever in your little castle. Don’t worry. It won’t be much longer.
I immediately run to the bathroom, drop to the floor and throw up everything in my stomach.
What the fuck do I do?